More EVs in Audi’s Future

Audi is gearing up to launch the e-tron quattro all-electric crossover in 2018, but the brand’s EV portfolio won’t stop growing there.

Speaking with Automotive News, Audi of America CEO Scott Keogh said that another EV will join the brand’s lineup in the years following the e-tron quattro’s launch. Audi is trying to mimic Tesla’s strategy of producing electric luxury vehicles with long driving range and excellent performance, so don’t be surprised if the brand’s next EV is a Model S competitor.

Revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the e-tron quattro will have a 311-mile range while also putting out 500 hp and up to 590 lb-ft of torque. “Our number one thing is not to build a compliance car but to build a cool, desirable car, because that’s what’s going to help our brand and our customers are going to like it,” Keogh said.

By 2030, Audi would like 25 percent of its sales to be EVs, a goal that will only be met by developing more electric vehicles. Audi is still unsure as to what its next electric vehicle should be, though the brand’s CEO confirmed that “there will be more, without a doubt,” said Keogh.

A wave of plug-in hybrids will launch before the e-tron quattro, which is slated to hit the market in 2018. It will be roughly the same size as the Audi Q7.